When it comes to watching, discussing, and celebrating movies, we rarely look or think about the costume design. On the surface, they serve as visual aids, but the clothes, like most of fashion really, send off deeper messages about plots, themes, and characters.
And then there’s its ability to captivate an audience, going viral as inspo, and holding itself separately from the film’s light. We saw this in movies like Barbie, which got everyone dressing in bubblegum pink, or Clueless, which gave Cher’s fashion a name: preppy chic.
Since movies have proved time and time again that they can serve as viable fashion inspo, here are the films we’re grabbing our future looks from.
Wuthering Heights
The recent film by Emerald Fennell has been the cause of discussions and dissections online ever since its release. One point people seem to note is how inaccurate the costumes are, considering the time period. But with historical inaccuracies aside, the costumes are nothing short of marvellous, adding to the dramatic tension of the movie.
With sweeping skirts and corset tops, this film gave us plenty of inspo for ultra-feminine dressing, almost bringing back cottagecore. In one scene, we watch Cathy (played by Margot Robbie) in a burnt red maxi skirt and a floral printed corset top. In another, we catch her on the moors, in a gingham skirt and structured jacket. As they flap with the wind, we also recognise the simple silhouettes, the natural fibres, and the uncomplicated cuts that make it easy to translate to the real world. But these combinations could easy work in a contemporary sense, turning the old-timey pieces into streetstyle.
Wicked: For Good
The movie series that made us consider the pink and green colour combination, when it comes to Wicked: For Good, we’re left the theatre thinking less about colour combinations and more about monochromatic fits.
Starting with Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo), we saw how a black ensemble was given life through textures. It also plays to the nuances of her character. While you won’t see us in a witch’s hat anytime soon, we will be adding a leather trench to the cart, that we can pair with jeans, wide-legged pants, and knee-high boots.
Whereas Glinda (played by Ariana Grande) had a stunning pink and purple swirl gown, her standard pink ensembles kept standing out. One look that we’re taking from this fantasy land and adding to the modern day is a pink skirt suit. Light, not only in colour, and with a subtle embellishment on the sleeves, the outfit shows strength in softness. While the colour can be delicate, its silhouette gives it unshakable confidence.
BAAB
Nayla Al Khaja’s psychological thriller might not have had glamorous costumes, but dressing sure played a subtle part in the film. While the highlight was on a mysterious wedding dress, our attention turned to the mother-daughter duo, whose outfits sent off a deeper message about their characters. Considering that most of the movie takes place at a family home, the main attire we see is loose dresses with modest necklines, made primarily for movement. But channelling that comfortable vibe into an equally comfortable yet glamorous option, we use the essence of each outfit to pick out similar kaftans.
Hence why we look at printed kaftans differently now. As Wahida (played by Shaima Al Fadl) spends most of her days in airy, light-coloured dresses, most notably a floral print one, we turn to similar pieces in kaftan format.
Her daughter, Amal (played by Meera Al Midfa), goes in a different direction when it comes to wardrobe. Deeper colour, fancier abayas, it’s a signal that the character is growing up, entering adulthood, while also stepping up as a parent for her mother in a role reversal. In the opening scene, we see her in a deep, dark pink dress with bold floral embroidery. The hot pink look sharply contrasts with her mother’s cream, floral-patterned piece, making for a stunning visual scene.
Bugonia
A comedy thriller that got us on the edge of our seats for the plot, this movie keeps our lead, Emma Stone, in the same costume for most of the pivotal moments of the film. Knowing that, costume designer Jennifer Johnson knew she had to make that singular costume count. Dressing the “CEO”, she went with a fully custom look with certain exceptions.
A black and white skirt suit with a McQueen suit jacket, emphasising her frame, a plain Saint Laurent purse, and Louboutin pumps that could be a character on their own. Tying the look together was a heavy, custom-made maroon coat that disrupted the look and gave off quiet confidence, while the base remained cold and unassuming. The stark contrast brought us back to why red and black are such a powerful colour combo, entering our inspo folder for 2026 power dressing.
Anyone But You
A cheesy rom-com for a weekend binge, this film follows the main lead as they navigate a wedding pretending to be a couple. So naturally, it serves plenty of wedding inspo as Sydney Sweeney, playing the character Bea, wears plenty of playfully feminine gowns.
In one standout scene, we watch her in a custom satin gown by costume designer Amelia Gebler, recreating the iconic scene from Titanic with Ben (played by Glenn Powell). While the dress itself is almost impossible to find, given it’s a custom, and is also not modest-friendly, we’ve switched the gown to a kaftan that lends itself to a similar sensual vibe.
Another dress that we had our eyes on was the blush pink gown Sydney Sweeney wears as she takes on her bridesmaid duties. While the original by Zuhair Murad is sold out, we find ourselves drawn to a similar lace-pannelled piece, that’s soft, dainty, and oh so chic!
